Practical
Plants

Alnus nepalensis

Nepalese Alder

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Alnus genus in the family Betulaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Alnus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
22 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A useful diuretic for reducing swelling of the leg[7]. The juice of the bark is boiled and the gelatinous liquid applied to burns[8].

Product or use
Diuretic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The bark contains 7% tannin[6], it is used in dyeing and tanning[2][3][8]. It is used to deepen the red colour of madder, Rubia cordifolia[7]. A fast growing species, it is suitable for plantation cultivation in tropical uplands[7]. The tree is locally cultivated by West Java Forest Service to reforest eroded slopes under ever-wet climates[7]. The tree establishes rapidly on areas subject to landslides, binding the soil with its extensive root system and stabilizig the slope[8]. Wood - soft, tough, even grained, rather durable, easily sawn, seasons well and does not warp. It is used to a limited extent in carpentry, house construction, tea boxes, for making furniture, rope bridges etc[3][4][7]. A very good timber, it deserves to be more widely used[3]. In India the trees are coppiced every two years for fuel[7].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Fuel
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Earth stabiliser

Nitrogen fixer

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Himalayas
Habitat
Forests in ravines, on stream banks and occasionally in drier localities, 900 - 2700 metres in the Himalayas[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
high
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe and only just covered[5]. Spring sown seed should also germinate successfully so long as it is not covered[200, K]. The seed should germinate in the spring as the weather warms up. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. If growth is sufficient, it is possible to plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer, otherwise keep them in pots outdoors and plant them out in the spring. If you have sufficient quantity of seed, it can be sown thinly in an outdoor seed bed in the spring[9]. The seedlings can either be planted out into their permanent positions in the autumn/winter, or they can be allowed to grow on in the seed bed for a further season before planting them. Cuttings of mature wood, taken as soon as the leaves fall in autumn, outdoors in sandy soil.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a heavy soil and a damp situation[1][2]. Grows well in heavy clay soils[2]. Succeeds in very infertile sites[5]. The Nepalese alder is reported to tolerate clay, flooding, fog, gravel, sand, shade, slope, water-logging, and weeds[7]. It is not tolerant of high winds[7]. Grows best in deep well-drained loams or loamy soils of alluvial soils, but ranges from gravel to sand to clay[7]. Prefers an annual rainfall estimated at 50 - 250cm, an annual average temperature in the range of 19 - 23°C, and a pH of 6 - 8[7]. This species is possibly only hardy in the milder areas of Britain[2]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil micro-organisms, these form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[5].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  3. Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  4. Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press 1945-00-00

    ↩

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  7. Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10

  8. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩

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